Shutoff valve



J. B. WHITTED SHUT-OFF VALVE Filed May 5l, 1 .941

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 27, 1942." J. B. wHrr'rED 2,299,865

l SHUT-OFF VALVE Filed `May 31, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 27, 1942 e i "SHUTOFF VALYE John Bi Whitted,` Glencoe, 5111 .rassignorftogs'tewarteWarner .Clorporation,-f6hicaxo,.Jil., macigno- .ration of .Virginia invention relates toJs'hut-off valves andiis ymore particularly concerned lwith shut-olf valves `ofa type adapted for, but not necessarily limited of military airplanes. v

"The fuel tanks in military r airplanesare commonly connectedrto the air plane -engines `by "'fuel linesv so `constructed that holes created therein'by rifle or machine gun bullets lor shell fragments of comparable size are automatically- `sealed 'againstleaka-ge vby structural elements of lthe i-fuelflines. These fuel lines, however, are sometimes completely severed? or injured `beyond the point of self-repair and insuch `instances tohavein the fuelline a shut-- it is important 'off Jvalve to `prevent loss of ther fuel 'remaining in the fuel-tank.

An objectof .my invention is 5to provide a shut-off Avalve which caribe readilyinserted in fsuchna fueliline and Which,1whenA closed,lwill ef- 'ectiVelyseal .the fuel line against even slight leakage. .and eliminate fire hazard resulting therefrom.`

.Another .subject of .my .invention is :to `provide ya; shut-:off valve .which :offers Ja. minimum rofkrestriction to lovv of fuel whenithe valve isin Jopen position.

.'Another objectrofmy inventionis to providea .shut-.off vali/e wherein I the closerv member is fat a `point remote :from `the operating shaft.

.Another `.object l. of my invention .is 'to `.provide ,a Ishut-:off .valve which can Slee` inexpensively manufactured-in large; quantitiesl by existingxmachinery.

r@ther objects and advantages .Willlbecomeyapparent ,as the-description' proceeds.

:Inthe drawings: f A.Figure 1 isza longitudinal sectionthrougha fuel line incorporating a Ashutfoif valve :embodying one form of my invention. In this .'gure, theV valve :is shownin the openposition.

Fig. .2 is a'viewsimilar toFig. Y1,;butshowing .the .valve .in-closed position;

Fig, 3 .isfatransverse section and is takenon `the. line 3-;3 of Fig. 1 4;

.Eig-4. is 4a .side `elevation showing .thehandle `mechanismfor operating the valve;

Fig, 5 is a .partialsection :taken ontheline 5-5 of Fig. .4;

Eig. .6 is van .irregular longitudinal Asection taken on the line .6 6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is .an.irregularz.partial section takeni on the line 'I-ll `of.1lig..1;,and

Fig. .8 is a .View similar' to. Fig. `Shut illustrata'modied form tof; my;l invention.

'.Rferringg Figu-res `1 to 7, linclusive, it `will -besenif'that "have Alillustratedmy invention as 'incorporated in--,a-ffue1 line I0 composed of a multiplicity-'of llaye'rs fand so r constructed that a hole cause y ear .bullet=orshell fragment -will be instantlyesealed against leakage lfuel lines yare ordinarily composed ily-'herein' TMyShut-offivvalvefispreferably 1located in the fuel lin adjacentglthe :point .I of connection betweerrithislineiand lfueltankand it is toJbe understood@ thatlthezffuel iline [0 fisrconnected to a .tank 4at .orfaboutitheleftehand edge of :the drawing; .'It isz'limnoiztant to have the yshut-off fvalvfeilocatedsas. olosefiasjipossible Ito the fuel tank fortwoireasons '.First; it is easier to insert the fshuteioff .vlveilinithe hose :and assemble it in positioneand second; the shut-'off valve should be fon itlreitanksside: fany injury .tothe fuel line.

Mysshuteoffrvalvefcomprises a :valve disk I2 A.which i normally lies .in a1-plane passing through the axis .ofthe fuel line, as shown in Figure 1. Thisi diskgI'Zi-may bestamped orfotherwise.' formed from sheetimaterial and is preferably -of slightly greater .diameterathanrthe internal diameter of :the lfnelmiinef*.Elill.V Pheiedgenf .theivalve disk I2 is fpreferabglylnounded |@to eliminate ,sharp edges which mouldfrunneeessarily Jwear or cut the Ainteriorgoftmifuelllineii.

Jfieitaeiie'il:toithexvalve:disk "I2 .is a circular vane 't4-.1 bien; ofi;slghtl-ylismaller diameter lthanithervaflvedisk t2. 'J'Ihis vane 'I4 :.iscomposed@ofrsemi-eircularygparts d6; and I8 stamped or totherwiseiformed from sheet -material and suitably siattached-tothe ivalve disk -I2. In the .drawingl haness'howntthe semi-.circular portion I6 as beinggpnovidediwithrapair fof. laterally Hextendingengersrz;lwhiohvareawelded to the valve diskikz. ,i.Iihe-;:sem-iecircular.portion I 8 is similarly .providednvithea .pair-of, laterally extending fingersw22...rlkewiseeweldedto ther valve disk I2. Lmheieincumrwanenld.liesfin afplane passing .through the-raxislfof :the -tfuel g line, .--but lying at rightaangles thegplane .of l`the valve disk I2. {Iii-reiva-lienfilllieperates-sivith` the valve disk I.2 in ,.-l-1olding.tthie.;Y latter `in its predetermined open position and in guiding the valve disk in its Inovementabetweeneepen .ia-nd, closed positions.

f'llheavalve `sklljzffis movedfrom opento closed psitonfb handlellgsattached Vto a shaft` 26 extending -ltlrroughzthe :walls :of the -fue1 line I n. Thesstmcturofitheiwalls of the; fuel lineis such 55. tha-tearfluidetightisealis mantainedzbetweenthese rui)leen-.like materials and are Well ev arti-sothat further-description is ring is made of hardened steel or other bullet resisting material. y,

Referring particularly to Figure 6 it will be seen that the semi-circular portion of `the ring28 is provided with a around the shaft 2G, the packing being urged against the shaft by a glandnut. 38. The semicircular portion 30 also has a rigid arm 40 to which one end of the handle 24 is attached by a Vwire or other suitable means 42 to lock the valve in open position. The wire 42 is relatively weak so that it will break when a strong manual turning movement is applied to the handle 24.

A sleeve 44 is attached to the shaft 26 by a screw 46 which is illustrated as having a pointed end extending into a recess in the shaft. A lock nut 4S holds the screw 4S against rotation. The sleeve 44 has a central downwardly extending arm 5D pivotally connected to a p air of links 52 by a common pin 5ftv having riveted ends which prevent separation of the links from the' arm 50. The other ends of the links 52 are pivoted to the vane section I5 by a pin 56 whose ends are likewise riveted to retain the links thereon..

The sleeve 44 also has apair ofupwardly extending arms 58, each of which-is pivotally connected by a pin 60 toa link 62 havingits other end attached toa pint/1 extendingl 'through the vane `section l5 above the pin 56. The ends of the pin t4 are riveted or otherwise enlarged to retain the link 52 andspacing sleeves 56 are interposed between the link 52 and the vane section i5. i

My shut-off valve is normally in the open position shown in Figure ll, and is'held'against accidental displacement from this'position by the wire 42. In case the fuel line is shot away, the handle 24 is rmly gripped and rotated through approximately ninetyrdegrees. This breaks the retaining wire 42 and shifts the valve from the open position shown inFigure 1- to the closed position shown in Figure 2. In this latter position the edge of the valve disk presses into the wall of the fuel linel and lforms an absolutely fluid-tight seal therewith.. This is extremely important, as even a slight leakage of gasoline might result in a re which woulddestroy the plane and imperil the lives of its occupants;

In order to accommodate the movement of the valve from open to closed position, the pairs of links 52 and 52 are offset withrespectto each other so that the links 52 can pass between the links 52. When the valve is in fully closed position, the upper surfaces of the links 52 engage the lower surface of the sleeve-44, as indicated at A in Figure 2, and this engagement prevents movement of the valvegbeyond its fully closed position. -I v f I An important feature of my shut-oi valve lies in the fact that the valve engages the fuel line at a point remote from the place where the operating shaft passes through the walls of the'fuel line. This prevents local distortion ofthe walls of the fuel line resulting from the projection of recess'holding a' packing 36l the control shaft therethrough from interfering in any way with the sealing function of the valve. I have found that in most instances the walls of the fuel line provide adequate bearings for the control shaft. The control shaft passes through punched opeings in the walls of the fuel line, these openings having been punched out to a diameter smaller than that of the control shaft. The walls thus t tightly about the control shaft and the inner layer |00. seals tightly against the control shaft and prevents leakage of gasoline therebetween. If any slight leakage of gasoline should occur between the layer |0a and the control shaft, such leakage will be stopped by swelling of the layer |019, which is usually formed of uncured 'rubber or similar material.

In Figure 8 I have illustrated an embodiment of my invention in which the metal ring 28 of the previous embodiment has been eliminated. In this form of my invention, the control shaft |25 is journaled directly in the walls of the fuel line and is rotated by a handle |24 attached to one end of the shaft. The other end of this shaft is provided with a hole |02 for receiving the wire |42 which locks the valve in open position. i

This wire breaks when a strong turning movement is exerted on `the handle |24. In all other respects the shut-off valve of Figure 8 may be identical with the shut-olf valve of the previous embodiment.

In assembling the shut-off valve in a fuel line, the sub-assembly comprising the valve disk I2, vane |4, sleeve 44 and connecting links 52 and 62 are inserted in the tank end of the fuel line. The control shaft is then passed through one wall of the fuel line, through the sleeve 44, and then through the other wall of the fuel line. Where the ring 28 of the first embodiment is utilized, it will be understood that the control shaft is assembled in the semi-circular portion 30 of the ring before being passed through the first wall of the fuel line and after the shaft has been passed completely through the fuel line, the semi-circular portion 32 is slipped over theend of the shaft and the portions 30 and 32 secured together to form the completed ring 28.

The sleeve 44 is next firmly secured to the control shaft by inserting a screw driver into the tank end of the fuel line and tightening the screw 46. Thereafter, a socket wrench or similar tool is nserted into the tank end of the fuel line to tighten fthe lock nut 48. The handle is then wired to lock the valve in open position and the assembly operation is completed.

While I have illustrated and described only two embodimentsof my invention, it is to be understood that my invention may assume numerous other forms and that the scope of my invention is, dened by the following claims.

I claim:

l. A shut-off valve comprising a valve disk of appropriate size to close a conduit in which it is located, a circular vane perpendicular to said valve disk and of slightly smaller diameter than said disk, said vane engageable with the walls of said conduit to position and guide said disk, a control shaft for shifting said valve and vane, a linkage connecting said Van-e with said control shaft and means for rotating said control shaft.

2. A shut-off valve of the class described comprising a generally circular valve disk adapted to be enclosed in a conduit and of size suitable to seal said conduit, a control shaft extending into said conduit at a point remote from said valve, a generallycir'cular vane perpendicular to said valve disk and enga-geable ywith the Walls of said conduit yto position and guide said disk, and linkage connecting said vane and said control shaft, whereby rotation of said control shaft opens or closes said valve disk. y

3. A shut-off Valve of the lclass described comprising a flexible fuel line, a circular valve disk adapted to be located in said flexible fuel line and of suitable size to close said line, a straight, continuous con-trol shaft extending through both walls of said fuel line and supported by yand forming a fluid tight seal With said Walls, a sleeve in said fuel line rotatable with said shaft, and a pair of offset links connecting said sleeve with said valve and preventing movement of said valve past fully closed position. 1

4. A control valve for a vbullet-proof fuel line comprising a valve ydisk located in ysaid line, a single circular Avane perpendicular to said valve disk and cooperating with the latter to position and guide said Valve disk,` a control shaft remote from said valve disk and journaled in the walls of said fuel line and rtwo pairs of o'set links connecting said Vane and said shaft whereby rotation of said shaft opens or closes said valve.

5. A shut-off valve for the bullet-proof fuel line of a military airplane comprising a flexible fuel line, a valve disk located in and adapted to seal against the internal surface of said fuel line, means carried by said valve for guiding and positioning said valve in said fuel line, a shaft for opening and closing said Valve, and means connecting said shaft with said guiding means.

6. A shut-off Valve comprising a valve disk adapted for location in a bullet-proof fuel line, a control shaft extending into said fuel line at a point remote from said Valve disk, means connecting said Valve Idisk with said control shaft for rotation thereby,.an'd a metal sleeve surrounding said fuel line and providing bearing means cfor said control shaft, saidsleeve surrounding and protecting said `valve disk.

J OHN B. WHITTED, 

